Local people won't be given antibiotics for colds so easily starting August 1, 2012, as a new national rule and its detailed local guidance took effect to strictly regulate doctors' prescribing and use of antibiotics, said the Shanghai Health Bureau.

Aug. 6, 2012

Six out of 10 Chinese people will live in cities by 2020 as the exodus from rural areas continues to boost the migrant population, a report said.

China reached a landmark moment last year when 51.27 percent of the population was classified as urban dwellers.

At the end of 2011 there were about 230 million people classified as migrants, accounting for about 17 percent of the population, and 80 percent of these came from rural areas, the National Population and Family Planning Commission said in its third annual report.

Migrants are defined as people who live away from their registered place of hukou, or residence permit.

Aug. 8, 2012

Passenger vehicles would get a free pass on expressways in Beijing from Sept 30 to Oct 7, 2012, according to the Beijing Capital Highway Development Group, a State-owned company responsible for construction and operation of expressways in the capital.
Passenger cars with seven seats or less as well as motorcycles would get a free pass through toll roads, bridges and tunnels during Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Labor Day and National Day, according to a notice by the State Council.

It would be up to local governments to choose whether to remove tolls on airport highways, the notice said.

The Ministry of Transport said that starting from the National Day holiday this year, the toll exemption policy should be implemented for passenger cars nationwide.